City Arcade as it was...

These posts been split from the November 15th, 1940 thread as I've since discovered the City Arcade was damaged in an earlier air raid

Wow that looked lovely Dutchman - love to see a shot pre-war myself - Even the roof supports look like works or art...

That's an interesting shot, dutchman! (As are the others above it!) When I knew the City Arcade it had its glass in the roof replaced, although there were a few gaps. (And no rubble about!! ) Some of the shops had been nicely painted up, and looked like they had never been damaged - though they probably had - but one thing the photo doesn't sow is that the paved way actually had at least two steps in it; it went downhill from Smithford St to the Barracks Square. There are two things that stuck in my sensory memory more than anything else: all the glass amplified the sound of footsteps; and it had a distinctive smell about it, probably from the various goods that were sold in there, like open groceries and fish, meat, greens, all of which mingled and hung around. And of course, there was the smell of people's clothes. With most clothes being of natural fibres (wool, cotton) and the old fashioned washing powders and use of mothballs, everyone had their own private aroma! By no means unpleasant (although people couldn't bath too frequently, with water restrictions) but nothing like today, where you smell aftershave, eau de toilette, etc. Women's perfume was a very rare aroma in the very early 1950s!

I understand that the Drinkwater Arcade was even nicer, and very Art Nouveau, but I've never seen a photograph inside it - and I think only one outside. It must have been a very pleasant city in the 1930s.

Thanks for pointing me at the post. But a question about it: you said "the original City Arms" - that doesn't look like the City Arms that I recall in Fleet St....or the other photo that I saw posted of it elsewhere...?

Thanks for pointing me at the post. But a question about it: you said "the original City Arms" - that doesn't look like the City Arms that I recall in Fleet St....or the other photo that I saw posted of it elsewhere...?

Only the corner of the City Arms is visible in that photograph Spuffler, the other building is the pre-war Co-Op. This is the reverse angle taken in 1959 with the site of the now-demolished Co-Op fenced-off:



and this is the view from an allyway in Fleet Street directly opposite West Orchard:



It's definitely the same pub.

Yes, it's the Co-op building that I was looking at - very dominant! In the upper photo, I like the Riley Falcon passing the line of parked cars. I bet that's not around now!! (Or the others, for that matter...)
Thanks

Fantastic yet again Dutchman - That shot of the City Arms having St Johns in the background can really show you how it was compared to now.
Just wish it was all still there.......

Even if they had only built new buildings where the originals had been completely destroyed in the Blitz, it would have been far better than what they replaced it all with! The City Arms is a good example of the high quality of Victorian building, isn't it? The Victorians built to last, and to show their pride and individuality. So different to what is thrown up today. But we can't have the demolished buildings back....unfortunately. It would be some compensation if the council at least built some facsimiles of the demolished buildings to replace the ugly boxes they were replaced with....but there's never any money, is there....